THE HOME AND ITS EXVIRO.YMENT. 



i8i 



of interest and beauty. The trees also be- 

 come so entangled with each other that their 

 individuality is entirely lost. They must all 

 either be cut down, which means to -begin 

 again, or the least valuable thinned out and 

 the remaining- ones pruned and trimmed into 

 proper shape. This is by no means an easy 

 task npr is it a desirable one. Prevention is 

 the best cure and I would therefore advise 

 no one to plant too closely in the start. 



Trees which are grouped for their special 

 beauty should be so placed that the tallest trees 

 will be in the centre, while around them may 

 be planted the lower and more rounded ones. 

 Trees with heavy foliage should not be 

 planted by those with light foliage, but 

 something of an intermediate tone should 

 intervene. 



For small places one should depend mainly 

 on shrubs and by a little careful selection 

 from the different families grand masses of 

 bloom may be had throughout the season. 

 Such shrubs as spirea, weigela, deutzia, 

 hardy hydrangea, Japan quince and double 

 flowering almond produce a magnificent 

 effect when grouped together. 



A broad, open lawn in front of the house 

 has a pleasing effect. Trees or shrubs may 

 be planted at the borders but never in the 

 centre. A lawn should have a restful ap- 

 pearance to the eye, and if shrubs are scat- 

 tered about the lawn this effect is destroyed. 

 On the other hand, if the eye passes over a 

 lovely, open green sward and then rests on 



Fig. 1S03. Wall with Climbing Vines. 



Fig. 1S02. Turn ix Roadway. 



masses of well grouped shrubbery the effect 

 will be very pleasing. Groups may also be 

 placed at the entrance or on the bend of a 

 driveway, so that on entering you do not see 

 all views at once, for if everything is seen at 

 one glance your curiosity is soon satisfied, 

 and it is therefore much better to have your 

 trees and shrubs arranged so that from dif- 

 ferent points different views may be obtained. 

 Climbing and trailing shrubs are ven*- use- 

 ful and beautiful for covering cottages, ver- 

 andahs, walls, trellises, etc. The cooling shade 

 they afford to verandahs cannot be excelled by 

 any artificial means. This is no doubt due to 

 the excessive evaporation of moisture from 

 the leaves. Perhaps one of the finest vines 

 for covering a verandah is the Virginia 

 creeper. It affords shade quickly and in 

 the fall the leaves become a rich crimson. 

 For covering stone or brick walls no other 

 plant can excel the Boston ivy. The leaves 

 overlap one another and form a 

 dense sheet of dark green, turn- 

 ing to crimson in the autumn. 

 The first winter it may require a 

 little protection from the frost, 

 but when once it has required a 

 good growth no further risk 

 need be feared. The Clematis 

 Jackmanni is a \qt\ beautiful 

 climber for a verandah where a 

 trellis may conveniently be put up. 

 Its flowers are large, violet pur- 



